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USGS biologists translocated critically endangered Laysan Teal, such as this adult with brood, from Laysan Island to Midway Island in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands to expand the species’ population and range and help guard against extinction.
Saving a critically endangered species takes time and patience. U.S. Geological Survey scientists learned this anew as they surveyed the toll on the critically endangered Laysan teal (Anas laysanensis) from last year’s Pacific Ocean Tōhuku Tsunami generated by an earthquake in Japan.
The population of Laysan teal, a small duck once found throughout the Hawaiʻian Islands, had grown rapidly from an estimated 450 birds on tiny Laysan Island to an estimated 830 birds by 2010 at two sites after successful reintroduction to Midway Atoll led by Michelle Reynolds, a research wildlife biologist with the USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Rendered extinct on Hawaii’s main islands hundreds of years ago by the human introduction of rats, the teal had been found in recent times only in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, which are rat-free. In 2004 and 2005, Reynolds and her multi-agency team moved 42 of the surviving birds on Laysan Island within the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, a strategic World War II battlefield that is now part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument – and that, like Laysan, is free of mammalian predators. The teal on Midway took to their new island home, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and produced more ducklings than ever documented before.
Then came the March 2011 tsunami that washed over large areas of both Midway and Laysan islands. At Midway Atoll, the tallest wave was nearly 5 feet. As Reynolds and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitor the population to determine the impact of the tsunami on both refuge areas, they are reassured by the knowledge they gained from the successful reintroduction effort. Research on the conservation biology of endangered species will help not only the Laysan teal but many island species worldwide that are vulnerable to random disasters, and affected by climate change, habitat loss or predation by non-native species.
John Klavitter of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, left, and USGS biologist Michelle Reynolds attach transmitters to critically endangered Laysan teal that were translocated from Laysan to Midway Island to expand the species’ population and range.
“The species is still at risk,” Reynolds said. “The wild translocation to re-establish a second population was shown to be feasible and successful, but more populations are needed to reduce the high risks of living on low-lying tiny islands.”
In conservation biology, “translocation” is the managed relocation of members of a wildlife species – either captive-bred or from the wild – to someplace else in hope of expanding the species’ population and range. Fewer than half the translocations of threatened species are deemed successful by their investigators. Problems can arise with the population to be moved, such as lack of genetic diversity limiting its breeding success, or with the proposed new habitat, or because of an abundance of predators. Sometimes, the new home just doesn’t seem right to the translocated species and the animals will disperse across the landscape, and scientists have to find out why they don’t survive or breed. Many years ago, a previous effort to save the Laysan teal failed when the translocated birds simply turned up their bills at their new location – as sometimes happens – and tried to fly back to Laysan, never to be seen again.
Reynolds’ work with the Laysan teal emphasized not only keeping them close to the release site to acclimate them during the critical first few months after translocation, but also to learn everything possible about how the species uses and adapts to habitat. The birds’ flight feathers were trimmed when they were released at Midway, so they could not fly for the first year after translocation. This would not have been possible if rats, accidentally introduced during WWII, had not been removed from the atoll when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took over Midway’s management in 1996. Extra food was set out near the release site that first season, so the teal might be less likely to scatter across the island rather than choose mates and breed.
Even so, Reynolds recalls, the birds “sometimes didn’t follow the plan.”
“We had one female bird that just went off by herself, just walked a couple of kilometers to the middle of the island, away from all potential mates, to nest without a drake. She produced multiple infertile nests there, until the population grew,” she said. Most ducks, however, found mates and produced successful nests in their first year on Midway. By 2010, there were more than 400 Laysan teal on Midway. The growth was leveling off, a sign that the species’ population density may have been reached. This is important to know for future translocations: A long-term goal is to return the Laysan teal – “Hawaiʻi’s own duck,” – Reynolds said – to a higher-elevation site in the main Hawaiʻian Islands. Reynolds’ and co-authors’ latest research is published in a recent issue of Animal Conservation.
USGS biologists translocated critically endangered Laysan Teal, such as this one, from Laysan Island to Midway Island in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands to expand the species’ population and range and help guard against extinction.
Because both Laysan and Midway are so remote, Reynolds has been able to visit the study sites with the Laysan teal only once or twice a year after the reintroduction. The refuge field camp at Laysan is a five- or six-day boat trip from Honolulu and an inter-island flight from Hawaiʻi Island, where Reynolds works at the USGS Kīlauea Field Station. Field biologists must stay for months and bring food, water and other supplies. Midway Atoll has an airstrip with thrice-monthly flights, but it is also remote, located approximately 350 miles northwest of Laysan.
Both Laysan and Midway are part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (also called the Leeward Islands), small, low-lying islands and atolls running some 1200 miles northwest of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau in the Pacific Ocean. Jointly protected as the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, the 140,000-square-mile region is designated by UNESCO as one of only 26 mixed (natural and cultural) World Heritage Sites on the planet. Remote and ecologically vulnerable, most of the Northwestern Hawaiian Island region is uninhabited and closed to the public. Midway has about 60 residents, as well as scientific installations including a USGS seismic monitoring station.
On Midway Island, Wisdom, a 60-year-old albatross, and her chick made it through the tsunami that resulted from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake off of Japan on March 11.
Manatees are often used as sentinels for emerging threats to the ocean environment and human health. Read more
The USGS plans to "app-lify" data with a contest through Challenge.gov. Prizes will be awarded to the best overall app, the best student app, and the people’s choice. Read more
The world’s oldest known wild bird – now 62 – is a mother again. Read more
The recent past sheds light on preserving the future of economically and ecologically important native trout populations across the West. Read more
Washington, D.C., is a unique city full of landmarks and buildings that are recognizable worldwide. But how were these stone giants built? Read more
Hurricane Sandy is a stark reminder of just how essential it is for the Nation to become more resilient to coastal hazards.Read more
The 100 million tons of carbon sequestered in western ecosystems each year is an amount equivalent to – and counterbalances the emissions of – more than 83 million U.S. passenger cars a year. Read more
Watch USGS scientists in the Arctic track Pacific walruses to examine how these animals are faring in a world with less sea ice. Read more
Trees Face Rising Drought Stress and Mortality as Climate Warms. Read more
Saltmarshes may slow the rate of climate change. Read more
USGS vigilant for West Nile virus in wildlife through surveillance, research, and mapping.
USGS and its partners are investigating the unusual deaths of New England harbor seals. Read more
USGS scientists look to see if water quality is improving. Read more
The majority of the nation is facing dry conditions; in most areas drought conditions are expected to persist or intensify. Read more
After dams tumble down, what happens next? Click here to find out! Read more
Maximizing alternative energy’s potential – how science can help grow the nation’s energy portfolio. Read more
Please comment on the USGS’ draft science strategies! Read more
USGS Details how climate change could affect water availability in 14 U.S. Basins. Read more
Western stream temperatures are not warming at the same rate as air temperature.Read more
Long polar bear swims provide tantalizing clues.Read more
The larger and more aggressive Eastern species thrives in a threatened species’ forest habitat.
While on your spring hike, beware of hitchhiking ticks—they may carry Lyme Disease.
For the first time since its discovery, White-nose syndrome has been found in the West.
The family picnic: food and fun...until unwanted guests show up! Learn what you can do to prevent West Nile virus from infecting your loved ones.
Timing is everything! Consider helping track changes in spring’s arrival
Flood Safety Awareness Week is March. 12-16. What can you do to prepare?
National Groundwater Awareness Week is Mar. 11-17, 2012. See how USGS science is connecting groundwater and surface water.
Since Japan’s March 11, 2011, Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami, scientists at the USGS have learned much to help better prepare for a large earthquake in the United States.
Five USGS employees honored with Distinguished Service Awards for their service to the nation
It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Did you know invasive species cost our country more than 100 billion dollars each year? Get to know America’s ten top invaders this week.
It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Did you know invasive species cost our country more than 100 billion dollars each year? Get to know America’s ten top invaders this week.
It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Did you know invasive species cost our country more than 100 billion dollars each year? Get to know America’s ten top invaders this week.
It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Did you know invasive species cost our country more than 100 billion dollars each year? Get to know America’s ten top invaders this week.
The proposed USGS budget reflects research priorities to respond to nationally relevant issues, including water quantity and quality, ecosystem restoration, hydraulic fracturing, natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, and support for the National Ocean Policy, and has a large R&D component.
Mid-sized mammals in Everglades National Park are getting a big squeeze from invasive Burmese pythons, according to a USGS co-authored study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Bat populations, which provide valuable insect control, are declining at an alarming rate due to white-nose syndrome. Scientists have definitively identified the cause of this deadly syndrome.
Two adolescent cranes, raised by humans and reintroduced into the wild, were shot and killed. Sadly, they are not the first. How many killed this year? How many are left?
By 1936, devastating losses of wildlife populations were threatening the Nation’s natural resource heritage. America's first wildlife research center
As the team of responders struggled to end the worst oil spill in our Nation’s history, USGS scientist Paul Hsieh provided the critical scientific information needed to make a crucial decision.
The movie Contagion dramatizes the scenario of a global pandemic that begins with the spread of a disease from animals to humans. What are real-life experts doing to prevent a pandemic that originates with wildlife?
After years of planning, the Department of the Interior has begun removing two dams on the Elwha River in Washington. But how will the removal of these dams impact the river’s sediments, waters, and fish?
As a nation, we use more than 75 billion gallons of groundwater each day. September 13 is the National Groundwater Association’s “Protect Your Groundwater Day.” What we can do to ensure we continue to have enough of it?
Secretive and rare stream-dwelling amphibians are difficult to find and study. Scientists at the US Geological Survey and University of Idaho have developed a way to detect free-floating DNA from amphibians in fast-moving stream water.
Within the rivers, streams, and lakes of North America live over 200 species of freshwater mussels that share an amazing life history. Join us in Reston, VA to explore the fascinating reproductive biology and ecological role of one of nature’s most sophisticated fishermen.
USGS scientists are working to characterize the contaminants and habitats for a number of aquatic species along the lower Columbia River.
Forests play a significant role in removing carbon from the atmosphere by absorbing one-third of carbon emissions annually. This is according to a new U.S. Forest Service study conducted in collaboration with USGS scientists.
New USGS research shows that rice could become adapted to climate change and some catastrophic events by colonizing its seeds or plants with the spores of tiny naturally occurring fungi. The DNA of the rice plant itself is not changed; instead, researchers are re-creating what normally happens in nature.
A new study supports the ecological reliance of red knots on horseshoe crabs. The well-being of red knots, a declining shorebird species, is directly tied to the abundance of nutrient-rich eggs spawned by horseshoe crabs.
USGS crews continue to measure streamflow and collect water quality and sediment samples in the Ohio and Mississippi River basins using state-of-art instruments.
Native Bees are Selective About Where They Live and Eat -- It's National Pollinator Week, and here's groundbreaking research about the world of our native bees.
As hurricane season starts, researchers are modeling potential changes to coastal environments to identify communities vulnerable to extreme erosion during storms. Data collected before and after storm landfall are used to verify past forecasts and improve future predictions.
Follow the Pacific Nearshore Project as researchers from the USGS, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and other institutions sail Alaskan waters to study sea otters and investigate coastal health.
USGS science supports management, conservation, and restoration of imperiled, at-risk, and endangered species.
New USGS research shows that certain lichens can break down the infectious proteins responsible for chronic wasting disease, a troubling neurological disease fatal to wild deer and elk and spreading throughout the United States and Canada.
It's time to celebrate the essential role wetlands play in giving us food and water; sheltering us from storms, floods, and coastal erosion; providing habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife; and cleaning and storing water.
In a unique application of data, this year's report provides the nation's first assessment of birds on public lands and waters.
For reliable information about amphibians and the environmental factors that are important to their management and conservation, visit the new USGS Amphibian Monitoring and Research Initiative website.
A new article explains the economic importance of insect-eating bats to U.S. agriculture and how white-nose syndrome and wind turbines threaten these valuable animals.
Using coral growth records and measurements of changing ocean chemistry from increased atmospheric CO2, USGS scientists are providing a foundation for predicting future impacts of ocean acidification and sea-level rise to coral reefs.
Non-native lionfish are rapidly spreading along the U.S. Eastern seaboard, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean and have been preying on and competing with a wide range of native species.
On Midway Island, Wisdom, a 60-year-old albatross, and her chick made it through the tsunami that resulted from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake off of Japan on March 11.
Please answer questions about USGS Ecosystems science.
Join us in learning about wildlife conservation research with Dr. Matthew Perry as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Major programs include global climate change studies, Chesapeake Bay studies, and wildlife conservation monitoring.
Glen Canyon Dam High-Flow Experiments Provide Insights for Colorado River Management.
Demand for alternative energy sources leads scientists to consider microbes as potential sources of power.
Human health, ecological health, and environmental health are closely connected. Join us to learn how USGS science contributes to our understanding of how such environmental factors affect health threats.
A new identification guide provides images and geographic distributions of diatoms, an important group of algae.
A new USGS video highlights five decades of photographic documented change in coral reef conditions in the Florida Keys.
The USGS National Wildlife Heath Center is working with state agencies in investigating the death of thousands of birds in Arkansas and Louisiana.
Combining traditional ecological knowledge with empirical studies allows the the USGS, Tribal governments, and native organizations to increase their mutual understanding of the current health of Tribal lands and waters.
Scientists have found that the fungus associated with white-nose syndrome in bats is unlike that of any known fungal skin pathogen in land mammals. It is extremely destructive to bats wing skin and may cause catastrophic imbalance in life-support processes.
Sea-ice habitats essential to polar bears would likely respond positively should more curbs be placed on global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new modeling study published today in the journal, Nature.
Remotely triggered thermal-imagery cameras will be used in a new non-invasive way to study mange in wolves.
Landscape photos taken in the same place but many years apart reveal dramatic changes due to human and natural factors. The USGS Desert Laboratory Repeat Photography Collection, the largest archive of its kind in the world, is 50 years old.
Decreasing pH and warming temperatures are changing ocean conditions and affecting coral and algal growth in South Florida. USGS scientists are conducting field measurements to learn more.
Many coastal wetlands worldwide including several on the U.S. Atlantic coast may be more sensitive than previously thought to climate change and sea-level rise in the this century.
Efforts are underway to restore the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, which has been profoundly altered by development and water management practices. Join us on December 1st when Dr. Lynn Wingard shares USGS research that is helping restoration management agencies develop realistic and attainable restoration goals for the region.
Eight specially trained whooping crane chicks hatched in May have now embarked on their first southward migration, with an ultralight airplane leading them. USGS researchers who hatched, raised, and trained the chicks at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, are eagerly following the cranes on their journey.
Beak abnormalities, which make it difficult for birds to feed and clean themselves, are occurring in large numbers of Black-capped Chickadees, Northwestern Crows, and other species in the Pacific Northwest and may signal a growing environmental health problem.
The USGS strongly supports the national celebration of Geography Awareness Week, November 14-20, and this year’s theme: Freshwater. The “where” factor of geography integrates USGS studies in many fields of science.
Two new tools that enable the public to report sick or dead wild animals could also lead to the detection and containment of wildlife disease outbreaks that may pose a health risk to people.
USGS scientists are investigating sea turtles and their habitats in Dry Tortugas National Park to provide insight that will be used as decision-support tools for managing coral ecosystems.
Looking for information on natural resources, natural hazards, geospatial data, and more? The USGS Education site provides great resources, including lessons, data, maps, and more, to support teaching, learning, K-12 education, and university-level inquiry and research.
The Chesapeake Bay has long been an R&R destination for DC residents. However, the watershed’s overpopulation contributes to its decline. Join us when USGS’s Scott Phillips and Peter Claggett discuss new science efforts applied to restoring the Nation's largest estuary on October 6th.
Nutrient sources in both agricultural and urban areas contribute to elevated nutrient concentrations in streams and groundwater across the Nation.
The timing of animal migration and reproduction, and observing when plants send out new leaves and bear fruit, is increasingly important in understanding how climate change affects biological and hydrologic systems. Photo credit Copyright C Brandon Cole.
The USGS has been researching manatees in Florida and the Caribbean for decades, but little is known about Cuban manatees. A USGS biologist recently visited Cuba with a team of international manatee experts working to conserve manatees around the Caribbean.
USGS scientists have discovered a new turtle species, the Pearl River map turtle, found only in the Pearl River in Louisiana and Mississippi. Sea-level changes between glacial and interglacial periods over 10,000 years ago isolated the map turtles, causing them to evolve into unique species.
USGS scientists help land managers determine if fire is the appropriate strategy for controlling or enhancing specific plant species.
Did you know that contaminant-ridden dust from Africa may be harming coral reefs in the Caribbean? Scientists at the USGS are examining the air in Africa and in the Caribbean to determine what kinds of nutrients, microbes, and contaminants are traveling across the ocean.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities can be a significant source of pharmaceuticals in surface water. The USGS is working with water utilities to try to reduce the release of pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants to the environment.
The USGS Science Strategy is a comprehensive report to critically examine the USGS's major science goals and priorities for the coming decade. The USGS is moving forward with these strategic science directions in response to the challenges that our Nation's future faces and for the stewards of our Federal lands.
It did, 35 million years ago.
You are encouraged to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill to be held on Thursday, February 7, 2013. Read more
Landslides and debris flows are common and destructive geologic hazards that can happen every year in every U.S. state. Read more
The USGS is providing up-to-date information. Read more
Washington, D.C., is a unique city full of landmarks and buildings that are recognizable worldwide. But how were these stone giants built? Read more
Hurricane Sandy is a stark reminder of just how essential it is for the Nation to become more resilient to coastal hazards.Read more
The USGS is providing up-to-date information. Read more
The USGS is providing up-to-date information. Read more
Learn about USGS science on the processes that cause coastal change. Read more
USGS crews are out surveying the damage, recovering the sensors deployed before the storm, and collecting data that will be crucial to recovery efforts.
USGS is keeping careful watch as Hurricane Sandy continues to track northeast along the east coast of Florida and the Atlantic coast.
There is an urgent need for steps to mitigate earthquake risk in Burma, as it is not a question of “if” future large earthquakes will occur, but rather “when.” Read more
The USGS has just issued a landslide alert for parts of Maryland, Delaware, and northern Virginia. Read more
The USGS is providing up-to-date information. Read more
USGS is keeping careful watch as Hurricane Sandy continues to track northeast along the east coast of Florida and the Atlantic coast.
The earthquake struck off the west coast in the Pacific. The USGS is providing up-to-date information. Read more
Are you prepared for future earthquakes? Sign up and participate in a worldwide earthquake drill. Read more
USGS science helps people understand and prepare for natural hazards. Read more
While Hurricane Isaac has passed, scientific work to understand the storm’s impact on Gulf Coast states continues. Read more
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck near the west coast of Costa Rica on September 5, 2012 at 14:42:10 UTC. Read more
Real-time map showing the extent of flooding (black dots) and drought (red dots) in the U.S. Read more
USGS scientists, engineers, and technicians are working along the Gulf coast in response to Hurricane Isaac. Read more
USGS scientists are providing up-to-date information. Read more
The U.S. Geological Survey is keeping careful watch as Tropical Storm Isaac continues to track northwest toward the west coast of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. Read more
It was one of the largest recorded earthquakes to occur in the east over the last century. Find out what scientists have learned in the past year. Read more
USGS scientists improve systems to monitor and forecast volcanic activity and track volcanic ash to help communities prepare. Read more
These 3 young scientists have forged ahead with innovative research at the frontiers of science. Learn more
The majority of the nation is facing dry conditions; in most areas drought conditions are expected to persist or intensify. Read more
The new “Did You See It?” website collects citizen observations of landslides. Read more
Please comment on the USGS’ draft science strategies! Read more
Citizen volunteers, portable instruments, and real-time maps help improve gathering of and access to earthquake data.Read more
The USGS and partners are designing an earthquake early warning system for California to help save lives and property.
Science or Soundbite? Is the recent increase in midcontinent earthquakes natural or man-made? Find out here.
Timing is everything! Consider helping track changes in spring’s arrival
A magnitude-8.6 earthquake struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at 8:38 a.m., UTC at the epicenter.
A magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck in the Mexican state of Oaxaca Tuesday, March 20, 2012, at 12:02 p.m., local time at the epicenter.
Flood Safety Awareness Week is March. 12-16. What can you do to prepare?
National Groundwater Awareness Week is Mar. 11-17, 2012. See how USGS science is connecting groundwater and surface water.
Since Japan’s March 11, 2011, Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami, scientists at the USGS have learned much to help better prepare for a large earthquake in the United States.
Five USGS employees honored with Distinguished Service Awards for their service to the nation
The proposed USGS budget reflects research priorities to respond to nationally relevant issues, including water quantity and quality, ecosystem restoration, hydraulic fracturing, natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, and support for the National Ocean Policy, and has a large R&D component.
Exploding lakes in Cameroon, Africa, have killed people and livestock. Find out how USGS science is helping prevent such an event from occurring again.
Everyone is familiar with weather systems on earth like rain, wind and snow. But space weather – variable conditions in the space surrounding Earth – has important consequences for our lives inside Earth’s atmosphere.
Scientists and communities are working together to make science more useful and communities safer. What one emergency manager has to say.
Modern volcano monitoring in the United States began with the founding of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in 1912. Living with volcanoes
Shaking from Oklahoma's M5.6 main shock, the largest quake in the State's history, was felt from St. Louis to Lubbock. Number of quakes increasing in Oklahoma
A magnitude-7.2 earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Sunday, October 23, 2011. History of strong earthquakes
It's only the beginning of their careers, but these 3 young scientists have forged ahead with innovative research at the frontiers of science. How they've transformed their fields
Oct. 9-15, 2011, is Earth Science Week, themed "Our-Ever Changing Earth," and Oct. 12, 2011, is International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction. Answers to questions posed by a changing world
Fire managers and the public can access online maps of current wildfire locations, thanks to a Web-based mapping application provided by the USGS and its partners.
On Feb. 7, 1812, at about 3 a.m., a third, and probably most widely felt of three major earthquakes, occurred in the central Mississippi River Valley. Similar risk today.
Rivers and streams are reaching record levels as a result of Hurricane Irene’s rainfall, with more than 80 USGS streamgages measuring record peaks.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 01:51 PM a 5.8 Earthquake occurred 38 miles outside of Richmond, VA.
A new geologic map of Lassen Volcanic National Park and vicinity has been created. The map area includes the entire Lassen Volcanic Center, parts of three older volcanic centers, and the products of regional volcanism.
To better understand and reduce tsunami hazards, USGS scientists examined sediment deposited by the tsunami in and around Sendai, Japan, as part of an international tsunami survey team organized by Japanese scientific cooperators.
USGS crews continue to measure streamflow and collect water quality and sediment samples in the Ohio and Mississippi River basins using state-of-art instruments.
Many communities in South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming and Iowa are dealing with record floodwaters and bracing for more flooding in the upcoming weeks.
Fire managers and the public can access online maps of current wildfire locations, thanks to a web-based mapping application provided by the USGS and its partners.
New Zealand has experienced another damaging earthquake close to the city of Christchurch, which is still recovering from the magnitude-6.1 earthquake that struck in February. This latest quake has resulted in additional damage to buildings and infrastructure.
The USGS-NASA Landsat 5 satellite captured this image of 39-mile track of destruction caused by a massive tornado on June 1 near Sturbridge, MA.
As hurricane season starts, researchers are modeling potential changes to coastal environments to identify communities vulnerable to extreme erosion during storms. Data collected before and after storm landfall are used to verify past forecasts and improve future predictions.
The effects of the March 11 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami on Japan are being monitored using Landsat satellite data from the USGS.
The most recent earthquake in Japan affected water levels in groundwater wells all over the country. Water level fluctuations were recorded as far away as Illinois, Virginia, Missouri and Florida.
Volcanic activity continues in the Pu`u `O`o crater on Kilauea Volcano's east rift zone and in the Halema`uma`u Crater vent at Kilauea’s summit. Visit the USGS Hawaii Volcanoes Observatory site to get detailed Kilauea and Mauna Loa activity updates, recent volcano photos, recent earthquakes, and more.
Scientists unveil a catastrophic winter storm scenario that could possibly overwhelm California's flood protection system, and significantly disrupt Statewide social and economic systems.
Heavy rainfall could potentially destabilize hillsides. The USGS Landslide Hazards Web site has what you need to know if you live in an area prone to landslides.
The USGS and the National Weather Service have developed a new flood inundation map tool that enables management officials and residents to see where the potential threat of flooding is the highest along the Flint River near Albany, Georgia.
Volcanic eruptions have always been a part of human history; the American experience is no exception. On November 3rd, USGS’s Dr. John Eichelberger discusses new USGS programs which establish monitoring networks on all hazardous US volcanoes, to reduce the effects of volcanic hazards on communities.
Kilauea is Hawaii's youngest volcano and one of the world's most active. Get daily updates on ongoing eruptions from Kilauea's summit and east rift zone.
Looking for information on natural resources, natural hazards, geospatial data, and more? The USGS Education site provides great resources, including lessons, data, maps, and more, to support teaching, learning, K-12 education, and university-level inquiry and research.
The USGS PAGER system (Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response) will now include estimated economic loss and casualty information. This system is used by emergency responders, government and aid officials, and the public to understand the scope of the disaster to develop the best response.
Flash flooding is one of the major causes of natural hazard-related deaths in the United States and is hard to predict, but data collected by the USGS is crucial to formulating better predictive models.
The USGS Science Strategy is a comprehensive report to critically examine the USGS's major science goals and priorities for the coming decade. The USGS is moving forward with these strategic science directions in response to the challenges that our Nation's future faces and for the stewards of our Federal lands.
Join us in Reston on December 5th at 7:00pm for our free public lecture on the impacts of offshore wind energy development on migratory seabirds!
USGS wishes The Wildlife Society happy 75th Birthday and looks forward to attending their annual conference. Stop by our booth!
7 p.m.—Public lecture (also live-streamed over the Internet)
Join us for the July Public Lecture on Invasive Species!
USGS-led survey finds that national wildlife refuges rate highly with visitors.
As the climate has warmed, many plants are starting to grow leaves and bloom flowers earlier. A new study published in the journal, Nature, suggests that most field experiments may underestimate the degree to which the timing of leafing and flowering changes with global warming.
Stressed agricultural lands may be releasing less of the moisture needed to protect the breadbasket of a continent.
Spring rains in the eastern Horn of Africa are projected to begin late this year and be substantially lower than normal.
After nearly 2 years of meticulous research, academic and government scientists confirmed that the 2010 oil spill had damaged local coral ecosystems
In recognition of World Forestry Day, let’s take a glimpse at USGS science to understand the fate of forests from climate change.
Join us on March 7 to learn about bat white-nose syndrome, which has killed an estimate 5 million bats, and to discuss the profound impacts this emergent wildlife disease may have in the 21st century.
The U.S. Geological Survey had a very busy 2011 — below are a few of our highlights from last year.
Scientists have discovered an outbreak of coral disease called Montipora White Syndrome in Kāneohe Bay, Oahu. The affected coral are of the species Montipora capitata, also known as rice coral.
Perhaps some of you have already experienced a sweet holiday smooch or two under the Christmas mistletoe, enjoying this fairly old kissing ritual for people. But mistletoe is important in other vital ways: it provides essential food, cover, and nesting sites for an amazing number of critters in the United States and elsewhere.
USGS scientists will join thousands of scientists, managers, and decision makers in Boston this week to present new findings on toxics at the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) conference in the Hynes Convention Center, Nov. 13-17.
On Nov. 3, USGS scientists Patrick Barnard and William Ellsworth will present a public lecture in Menlo Park, CA, providing Bay Area residents information about USGS research in the San Francisco Bay Area, including recent discoveries beneath San Francisco Bay and ongoing studies to better understand earthquake probabilities and the potential hazards associated with strong ground shaking.
Meet the R/V Muskie and the R/V Kaho, the USGS Great Lakes Science Center's two newest additions to its Great Lakes research fleet!
As climate changes, it affects the timing of when leaves emerge, the amount of foliage that grows as well as the timeframe when leaves begin to fall.
How will accelerated glacial melting over the next 50 years as a result of climate change affect the unique Gulf of Alaska and Copper River coastal ecosystems? USGS scientists are studying these processes and impacts.
The U.S. Geological Survey research looked at one of the world’s largest populations of long-tail ducks and found that hundreds of thousands of these elusive birds engage in a bizarre 30-50 mile morning commute from Nantucket Sound to the Atlantic Ocean, returning each evening.
Taking advantage of USGS expertise in satellite telemetry, geospatial mapping and analysis and waterfowl migration monitoring, researchers have tracked waterfowl across Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa and discovered new flu transmission links.
USGS is working in collaboration with numerous state and federal agencies and tribes to obtain approval for field trials with vaccine-laden, peanut-butter flavored baits and evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in grasslands.
Psychedelically colored wolves depicted by thermal imaging will shed light on how mange affects the survival, reproduction and social behavior of wolves in Yellowstone National Park.
February 28th at 7 p.m. (PST) — Public Lecture information: http://online.wr.usgs.gov/calendar
In response to Hurricane Isaac, USGS has deployed several hundred storm surge sensors to collect information about the effects of Isaac on the Gulf Coast.
Join us on September 5th in Reston, VA for a free public lecture on the 2011 Virginia earthquake!
Join us on August 1 to learn more about the anatomy of flooding: What are the different causes of these extreme events, and how is USGS science helping prepare residents for future foods.
Join us on June 6 for a centennial look at the greatest volcanic eruption of the 20th century at our June Public Lecture!
In recognition of World Forestry Day, let’s take a glimpse at USGS science to understand the fate of forests from climate change.
The Volcano Hazards Program announces the establishment of the USGS California Volcano Observatory (CalVO), which expands and replaces the former Long Valley Observatory.
The U.S. Geological Survey had a very busy 2011 — below are a few of our highlights from last year.
On Nov. 3, USGS scientists Patrick Barnard and William Ellsworth will present a public lecture in Menlo Park, CA, providing Bay Area residents information about USGS research in the San Francisco Bay Area, including recent discoveries beneath San Francisco Bay and ongoing studies to better understand earthquake probabilities and the potential hazards associated with strong ground shaking.
Join USGS scientists on November 2nd to discuss the seismology of the M5.8 Virginia earthquake, its effects, and its context in the geology of Virginia.
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/tsunami-sets-back-work-to-save-hawaiian-teal/
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Page Last Modified: September 14, 2011
